Automatically-stabilized folding bed



March 4, 1930. s, co 1,749,382

AUTOMATICALLY STABILIZED FOLDING BED Filed Aug. 10, 1927' s Sheets-Sheet1 I x/x/E s/ToR FRANCIS 6. Irvco,

HTTOR/X/EK March 4, 1930. F. s. INCO 1,749,382

AUTOMATICALLY STABILIZED FOLDING BED Filed Aug. 10, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet2 Fyni FRflNc/s I NCO, X B Y H T TORA/EK -March 4, 1930.

s. INCO AUTOMATICALLY STABIL j IZ ED FOLDING BED 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledAug. 10, 1927 HTTORMEY.

g UNITED STA Patented Mar. 4, 1930 TES I PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS S. INCO,OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AUTOMATICALLY-STABILIZED FOLDING BEDApplication filed August 10, 1927. Serial No. 211,896.

invention relates to folding beds and part cularly to that type offolding bed in which the carriage is movable around the floor. In thistype of folding bed it has been regarded necessary to provide a carriagewith an extensible brace which is extended when the mainframe is swunginto horizontal position, this extensible brace preventing the carriagefrom toppling.

It is an object of this invention to provide a folding bed in which thecarriage will not topple when the main frame is being raised or lowered,and which has no extensible braces.

It .is another object of this invention to provide a folding bed of thecharacter men- 'tioned'in which the distribution of weight imposed onthe carriage tends to maintain ing the mainframe of the bed in loweredposition.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of thehead-end of the bed taken as indicated bythe arrow 4 i of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational View of a modified-form of thebed of my invention showing the bed frame in raised position. I

Fig. 6is a side elevational view similar, to .Fig. 5 showingthe bedframe in lowered p0- sition..

Referring tothe drawings in detail, the

' carriage 11 of the bed consists of end frames levers 38. The pivotalconnection is 12 and a cross-bar 13 which connects the end framestogether. The end frames 12 have upper bars 14 and lower bars 15.Carried by the cross-bar 13 near each end frame 12 is a vertical post16. The vertical posts 16 and the upper bars 14 support main pivots 17The main frame 20 of the bed has main bars 21 which are pivotallysupported on the mam plvots 17. The main frame 20 includes the customaryfoot structure 23 and suitable mattress supporting springs 24. Pivotedat 26 tothehead-end of the main frame 20 is a head-piece 27 which ismoved between the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Secured to the bars 14 and 15of the end frames 12 of the carriage 11 arerigid arms 29 to which primary levers 30 are pivoted by suitable pivotbolts 31. It should be noted that the pivot bolts 31 are positioned infront of and above the main pivots 17 The rear ends of the primarylevers 30 are pivoted by pivot bolts 32 to the head-piece 27 adjacent tothe pivot bolt 26 which connects the headpiece to the main frame 20. Theforward ends of the primary levers 30 are curved upward as indicated at34 and the forward ends thereof have links 35 pivotally connectedthereto. Pivotally connected to the end frames 12 of the carriage 11 aresecondary rovided by pivot bolts 39 which are located at the extremelower-corners of the end frames.

The secondary levers 38 extend forward to the front part of the endframes and are curved upward as represented at 40. The front ends 40 arepivotally connected, as shown, to the lower ends of the links 35 whichare also pivoted to the forward ends 34 of the primary levers 30. Theprimary and secondary levers 30 and 38 and thelinks 35 move between theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A primary tension means in the form of a series of tension springs 43are connected to the bars 14 of the end frames 12, as indicated at 44,and to the secondary levers 38,

as indicated at 45. The purpose of these springs is to oppose the movingof the secondary levers from the position shown in Fig. 1' into theposition shown in Fig. 3. The secondary tension means is provided in theform of tension springs L7 which are secured to fixed plates 48 attachedto the front lower parts of the end frames 12. The upper ends of thetension springs 47 are connected by pivoted clips 50 to the primarylevers 30 adjacent to the pivot bolts 31 and between the pivot bolts 31and the pivot bolts 32.

When the main frame 20 of the bed is moved from raised position, asshown in Fig. 1, into lowered position, as shown in Fig. 2, the springs43 resist the downward swinging of the secondary lever 38 and they arestretched so that as the secondary level moves downward, the upward pullthereon is: increased. It will be seen from the drawings that theopposingforces of the springs 43 tend to prevent the forward ends 34 ofthe primary'levers 30 from swinging downward and {consequently opposethe upward swinging of the rear ends of the primary levers 30 and thehead end of the main frame 20. The springs 47 are also arranged toprevent an upward swinging of the rear ends of the primary levers 30'and of the head-end of the main frame 20. These springs consequentlyserve to counterbalance the main frame 20 7 when it is being raised orlowered so that the person accomplishing this act is not required tosupport any great portion 'of the weight of themain frame. I

- Aspreviously pointed out, it has been neceslsary' forall'beds of thetypeof this invention to have extensible braces which are attached tothe carriage and which are extendedforward when the bed is being raisedorlowered so to brace the carriage in order to prevent it from toppling.In my invention the -counterbalance springs 43 and 47' and the primaryand secondary levers 30" and 40 areso designed and interconnected thatthe weights applied to the carriage are distributed when the bed isbeing lowered and will prevent the carriage from toppling. It will beseen that the most of the counterbalancing effect is accomplished by theprimary springs 43. By

pivoting'the secondary levers 38 to the rear and'low'er parts of theendframes 12 and connecting the springs 43 to the bars 14 and to thesecondary levers 38 inback of themai n pivot 17 which supports the mainframe 20, the forcesapplied to the'carriage for a stabilizing elfectrender'an efiect to. cau'sethe carriage tomove from'upright position.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, I will describe a modified form 60 ofthe bedof my in- V I The bed '60 includes acarriage "61' which issubstantially identical with the carriage 11 of the preferred embodimentpre- 'viously described. Thecarriage16lhas end frames '62 formed of aninverted 'U' slrapd piece of tubing, providing castered vertical posts63 and 64 which are connected by horizontal angle iron cross-bars 65 and66. The end frames 62 are connected by a transverse angle ironbar 67secured at its opposite ends to the horizontal cross-bars 66. Connectedto the horizontal cross-bars 65 and 66 of each end frame 62 andextending a slight distance above the bar 65 is a vertical member 70.Pivotally connected at 72 to each end frame 62 at the uncture of thecross-bar 66 with the post 63 is a spring .lever 74. Provided on each ofthe end frames62 and attachedat their opposite ends to the cross-bar 65and 5 and 6, so that the bed frame 77 may have a vertical position,as'shown in Fig. 5, or a horizontal position, as shown in Fig 6..

Pivotally providedonuprights8O at the headend of the bed frame 77 is'aneed e-meal which is connected, by a link "82', to the upper end of thevertical n'i'ember 7 O, on one of the end frames 62, so that whenthe bedfraine 7 7 is in vertical position the head frame is folded, as shown in5, and when the bed frame is disposed horizontally the lread'f'rarneextends upward, as shown in Fig. 6. Rigi'dly "secured to each of theuprights 80 is "a diagonal brace 85 which has a hole intermediate itsends to receiveone o fthe bolts 76, and has a curved arm 88 "whichextends upward and forward from this bolt.- The end I of eacharrn 88 andthe armor the corresponding'spring lever 74 is connectedby a link'89.

The'springs 75'c'onstan'tly urgethe levers 7 4 upward and as the links"89 connect the forward ends of these levers to corresponding 'leverarms85; the springs 75 thus urge the'bed frame 77 into the up 'ard positionin which is shown in Fig. 5.

As the bed frame'77 is swung downward about the pivot bolts 7 6, thearm's '85are rotated with the bed frame-about the pivot bolts 7 6 sothat'th e links 89 force the s rin levers downward and stretch thesprings75. This resists the downward movement of' the bed frame 77 andsupports the major portion of its weight so as to make .it easy tooper'a t e'the I believe my invention to be basically new in theprovision of a folding bed of this character requiring no extensiblebraces or the sort 'for preventing the carriage from toppling.

Consequently I do not wish to be limited to the exact form of theinvention presented in -this-application since it is'obviou'sthatvariations and modifications may be made without invention. 6

departing from the "spirit and "scope of the t a I claim as myinvention: 1. In a folding bed, the combination of:

' a carriage; a main frame pivoted to said carriage, adapted to swingbetween raised and lowered position; a secondary lever pivoted tosaidcarriage;a head-piece pivoted to said main frame; a primary leverpivoted to said head-piece and carriage; means for pivoting the free endof said secondary lever to the free end of said primary lever; andprimary tension means connected to said secondary lever and saidcarriage.

2. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever; means for pivoting said secondary lever tothe rear part of said carriage; a head-piece pivoted to said main frame;a primary lever pivoted to said head-piece and the forward part of saidcarriage; means forpivoting the free end of said/secondary lever to thefree end of said primary lever; and primary tension means connected tosaid secondary lever and said carriage.

3. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever pivoted to said carriage; a head-piecepivoted to said main frame; a primary lever pivoted to'said carriage andto said head-piece; means for connecting said primary lever to the freeend of said secondary lever; and primary tension means connected to saidsecondary lever and said carriage.

,4. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever; means for pivoting said secondary lever tothe rear part of said carriage; a head-piece pivoted to said main frame;a primary lever pivoted to said carriage and to said head-piece meansfor connecting said primary lever to the free end of said secondarylever; and primary tension means connected to said secondary lever andsaid carriage.

5. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever pivoted to said carriage; a head-piecepivoted to said main frame; a primary lever pivoted to said carriage andto said head-piece; means for connecting said primary lever to the freeend of said secondary lever; primary tension means connected to saidsecondary lever and said carriage; and secondary tension means connectedto said'carriage and to said primary lever between the points where saidprimary lever is pivoted to said head-piece and said carriage.

6. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage,'adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever; means for pivoting said secondary lever tothe rear part of said carriage; a head-piece pivoted to said main frame;a primary lever pivoted to said carriage and to said head-piece; meansfor connecting said primary lever to the free end of said secondarylever; primary tension means connected to said secondary lever and saidcarriage; and secondary tension means connected to said carriage and tosaid primary lever between the points where said primary lever ispivoted to said head-piece and said carriage.

7. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever pivoted to said carriage; a primary leverpivoted to said carriage; a head-piece pivoted to the head-end of saidmain frame; means for pivoting one end of said primary lever tosaidhead-piece; means for connecting said primary lever to the free endof said secondary lever; and primary tension means connested to saidsecondary lever and said carriage.

8. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever; means for pivoting said secondary lever tothe rear part of said carriage; a primary lever pivoted to saidcarriage; a head-piece pivoted to the head-end of said main frame; meansfor pivoting one end of said primary lever to said head-piece; means forconnecting said primary lever to the free end of said second ary lever;and primary tension means connected to said secondary lever and saidcarriage.

9. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing between raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever pivoted to said carriage; a primary leverpivoted to said carriage; a head-piece pivoted to the head-end of saidmain frame; means for pivoting one end of said primary lever to saidhead-piece; means for connecting said primary lever to the free end ofsaid secondary lever; primary tension means connected to said secondarylever and said carriage; and secondary tension means connected to saidcarriage and to said primary lever between the points where said primarylever is pivoted to said head-piece and said carriage.

10. In a folding bed, the combination of: a carriage; a main framepivoted to said carriage, adapted to swing bet-ween raised and loweredposition; a secondary lever; means for pivoting said secondary lever tothe rear part of said carriage; a primary lever pivoted to saidcarriage; a headpiece pivoted to the head-end of said main frame; meansfor pi ng n i said p mary t d ad.-pi means Qv o n in aid Pr a y e emaend Q i idfiQQ 1f y l pr a y s l amin v connwted to said secondarylayer and said 'qa riagq; and; secar xdmy tensi qn means cggn eqt e tosaidcarriage and 091 said prgima lqy lgyer be, tween t e min hfi said prmary eve s pi t S d head-pi nd1 a i Qa rigge.

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